It's not just Police that Harass Photographers.

 

Another story of how jumped up Jobsworths can harass your average citizen by making the law up as they go along.

This time it is in my own county of Kent and the culprits are "Rail Enforcement Thugs Officers. Obviously a cheap version of the British Transport police without the knowledge or adequate training.

This time it is about a Blogger, Olly Cromwell who falls foul of these cretins, by daring to take pictures of the REO's for his blog, on a Railway station. Both he and his partner are removed from the train by these idiots before finally being "freed" by The British Transport Police. Just click on the Olly Cromwell link for the whole story plus updates.

It's about time the forces of law and order actually obeyed the law of the land. Not just made up law to suit themselves. I thing Anna Raccoon has the right remedy.

 

Rail Enforcement Officer

Job Description

35 hours weekly not including Sundays, Early and Late shifts, weekend and bank holiday working as required

Description

Job Purpose:  To work as a member of the Safer Travel Team, in conjunction with British Transport Police Officers, RPO's and other Southern employees to deter crime and anti social behaviour. To offer outstanding levels of customer service to passengers whilst supporting Southern staff as required. To provide assistance with crowd control and respond to emergencies, providing assistance as required to the police and other emergency services. Ensure compliance with the Criminal Law, the Conditions of Carriage and the railway byelaws by people on the railway, minimising fare evasion and supporting other team members in their responsibilities. Act as an authorised collector within the Southern Penalty Fare Scheme an issue tickets to travel.  Issue Penalty Notices for Disorder and Fixed Penalty Notices in accordance with the law.

Join the Resistance

 

Facebook site here

Bans and Burqas

 

Interestingly in light of the furore about bans for face veils and Burqas I came across a poll in the Muslim Women's Network asking the following question.

Should the Face Veil/Burqa be banned?

What surprised me was the answers.

Yes  63.2%

No   36.8%

All I can say is I am surprised. Obviously the women are not as fond of it as we are led to believe.

Offshore bird mincers

 

I've just been reading a 114 page document on the development of offshore wind farms. Now as my one reader knows, I was a marine engineer for 43 years. One fact I quickly came to realise is that sea water is highly corrosive. therefore I was interested to see what the projected maintenance costs would be over the life of these turbines and supporting structure.

What a wealth of information awaited me in the document.

This:

2.21.Operating and maintenance
The main concern with the regards to maintenance work is the high costs involved with access to the turbines for maintenance and inspections. Furthermore the maintenance can only be conducted during the right weather conditions, which means that the wind turbines can be unproductive for a number of days.
O&M will become more of an issue as we approach the Round 2 and beyond wind
farms, which will be significantly, further offshore. The industry should embark on study to identify as many steps as possible that can lead to a reduction in requirement for access.

Basically it would appear that they haven't a clue. It was just about the smallest paragraph in the document.

I give up

From my Niece's facebook page.

Just had a very blonde moment... Walking round the car park looking for a Honda Civic.... Only to realise I'm driving an MG.... Twat'

 

Says it all really.

Volunteer Police?

Did I really vote for this?

 

In the biggest shake-up of policing for 50 years, ministers want the public to patrol alongside beat bobbies.

They also intend to recruit up to 50,000 extra special constables to flood crime-plagued neighbourhoods with an army of volunteers.

And villages will be protected by a new breed of 'police reservists', modelled on part-time firemen and the Territorial Army.

That'll work then. Where are all these "volunteers" going to come from? If your working full time how would you fit in the time? If you're not working you would probably be out job hunting.

The coalition government yesterday set out plans for communities to 'reconnect' with police forces which have disappeared behind their desks, engulfed by a flood of red tape.

Firstly I think it should be the Police that should be making the effort to reconnect with the public and not the other way round. Secondly why not just abolish the red tape and sack all the community outreach advisors, Gay and Lesbian diversity co-ordinators, and other useless wastes of space.

'Virtual' get-togethers on social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter .

How utterly stupid is that one. I could be a mass murderer or a paedophile on facebook.

There is some good news though.

The National Policing Improvement Agency - a quango criticised for lavishing tens of millions of pounds on consultants - will be phased out.

The Association of Chief Police Officers will be told it must become more accountable to the public.

This really is kneejerk politics in the vein of the Blair years. God give me strength.

I really should stop reading the

Mail

Turmoil

 

F.E Mansion is having a much needed upgrade to the central heating after this year's extreme cold spell. In consequence the floor boards are up, the cats have hidden away, and FE has become Tea boy in Chief.

I suppose now that I'm having it done, we'll have mild winters for the next ten years. Damn Global warming.

Injustice again

I'm referring to the decision of the Director of the Crown Prosecution service not to prosecute PC Simon Harwood for the unproved attack on Ian Tomlinson resulting in his death.

 

I don't normally agree with George Monbiot.

There is a fighting fund being set up by the family for a private prosecution here.

Arrivederci Roma

Your Italian correspondent is now back from Rome refreshed and broke.

Rome. Wow, what a city. Vibrant, noisy, but oh so full of cultural heritage. And bloody expensive. How an earth,  a glass of beer can cost 4 Euros is beyond me?

If you haven't been there, and you don't mind being reduced to pauper status then you should visit it even once in your life.

Pic: The Trevi Fountain.

If you think that the vuvuzela racket in the last  world cup was noisy, then you will be astounded by the racket produced by the million scooters passing per second, by day and by night. This is then followed every two minutes or so by the chiming of the Ice cream vans Ambulances, picking up the bodies of the scooter riders, culled by the taxis.

Pedestrian crossings are an interesting experience. In the UK you stand at one, and the traffic will stop and let you cross. In Rome if you just stand there, you will die of old age. The strategy is to take your life in your own hands and just walk across and trust in any God (Or just plain lady luck). Funnily enough it works well, although disconcerting at first.

Just in case my kids and and their partners are reading this after racking up my bar bill in my hotel to unimaginable levels. You have drunk your inheritance.

Post card from Italy.

Weather glorious. 35 deg C.

Beer cold.

Food good.

What’s more to be said.

Your Italian correspondent signing out. next update will be from Rome.